Evian, France; 3 June 2003 (RFE/RL) -- World leaders at the Group of Eight (G-8) summit in France said today they share a common objective for a fully sovereign, stable, and democratic Iraq. The statement came in a final communique after a three-day meeting. It said that the G-8 leaders "share the conviction that the time has now come to build peace and reconstruct Iraq."

The leaders also voiced their determination to support implementation of the "road map" peace plan for the Middle East, and said they discussed the desirability of a comprehensive settlement including Syira and Lebanon.

On the global economy, they voiced confidence in the prospects for a recovery, but made no mention of a recent plunge in the dollar and the sharp appreciation of the euro.

The G-8 nations, in the final summary issued by France, also warned Iran and North Korea to comply with global nuclear safeguards.

The G-8 leaders called international terrorism the "preeminent threat to international security." They also said that the "proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery poses a growing danger to us all."

German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder said at the end of the summit that the United States and Europe have "overcome" their divisions over Iraq and were focused together on other crises such as the Middle East and North Korea.